The Secret Circle

This article is about the trilogy of novels. For the TV series based on it, see The Secret Circle (TV series). For the horse, see Secret Circle (horse).

The Secret Circle

The Initiation The Captive The Power The Divide The Hunt The Temptation
Author	L. J. Smith (1992) Aubrey Clark (2012-2013)
Language	English
Genre	Fantasy, Romance, Young-adult fiction
Publisher	Harper Paperbacks
Published	1992, 2012-2013
Media type	Print (hardcover and paperback)

The Secret Circle is a series of fictional novels created by L. J. Smith. The series revolves around twelve teenage witches who form an infamous coven known as "The Secret Circle."

Characters

• Cassie Blake
  Cassie Blake is a beautiful and mild-mannered sixteen-year old girl who moves to New England with her strong-willed mother, Alexandra. During her residence in New Salem, Cassie befriends the kind and warm hearted Diana, who welcomes Cassie into her “clique.” Throughout the series, Cassie discovers her family’s lineage of magic and the darkness that threatens both her and her coven. Unlike the rest of her coven she has true dreams which allow her to see past and future events. She is also a fire user like Faye. Her father, Black John, planned for her to be the leader of the circle, but she turned on him and was able to kill him with the help of the circle. She is one of the circle's three leaders with Faye and Diana.

• Adam Conant
  Adam Conant is a handsome and kind, all-American, sixteen-year old boy who resides in New Salem with his grandmother whom he takes care of. He and Cassie met briefly before she came to New Salem when she helped him escape witch hunters, but he never gave her his name. He and Diana were involved, having had feelings for each other since childhood, but Adam falls for Cassie without meaning to betray Diana, and at the end of the third book Diana gives her blessing for them to be together. He has a dog named Raj and is skilled in nature magic; he is many times compared with nature gods. He also has a psychic connection with Cassie and always knows when she is in danger.

• Christopher and Douglas Henderson
  Christopher and Douglas Henderson are two eccentric and free-spirited sixteen-year old twin brothers who reside in New Salem with their family. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, both Christopher and Douglas agree to help Faye taunt Cassie, in exchange for Faye convincing her friends, Deborah and Suzan, to go out with them. Throughout the series, Cassie discovers that Christopher and Douglas also had a sister, whom had mysteriously died on the night of her fifteenth birthday, shortly after Cassie arrived in New Salem. They were both devastated by her death and tried many times to convince the circle to take action against the outsiders who they suspected to be involved. Eventually it was revealed that their sister was killed by Sean under Black John's influenced and they were able to forgive him. They are both skilled in thunder magic.

• Kori Henderson
  Kori is Chris and Doug's younger sister, she was murdered before she could enter the coven and close the circle. She was a sophomore and was nice to Cassie.

• Deborah Armstrong
  Deborah Armstrong is a cruel and selfish sixteen-year old girl who resides in New Salem with her family. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, Deborah is initially hateful toward Cassie, however she later becomes an unsuspected ally of Cassie, after the discovery of Cassie’s exceedingly powerful magic. Throughout the series, Deborah is the best friend of the equally mean Faye Chamberlain. Despite her attitude, she respects those who stand up to her and likes Cassie because she has a hidden strength. She is compared to the goddess of hunting Artemis.

• Diana Meade
  Diana Meade is a kind sixteen-year old girl who resides in New Salem with her father. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, Diana quickly adopts Cassie as her new best friend. Throughout the series, Diana becomes jealous of Adam’s attraction toward Cassie, and also the extent of Cassie’s powers, but eventually gives them her blessing. Traditionally beautiful and incredibly patient, she is a natural leader of the circle but is many times challenged by her responsibilities. She shares the name with the moon goddess, Diana. She founds out to be connected by a "Silver Cord" with Max, son of a Witch Hunter.

• Faye Chamberlain
  Faye Chamberlain is a cruel and mischievous sixteen-year old girl who resides in New Salem with her father as her mother passed away. She is described with having wild hair,but very beautiful. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, Faye is hateful toward Cassie, as she sadistically uses magic to cause Cassie harm. Throughout the series, Faye is the best friend of Deborah and Suzan and they are considered the meanest girls in New England. She blackmails Cassie with the knowledge of her relationship with Adam. She allies herself with Black John and falls in love with him before she realizes that he is just using her and turns against him with the circle. She is skilled in fire magic and can communicate with cats, who she uses to spy on people.

• Laurel Quincey
  Laurel Quincey is a kind sixteen-year old girl who resides in New Salem with her family. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, Laurel initially finds Cassie unappealing, however she later becomes a good friend of Cassie, and helps her to control her powers. Throughout the series, Laurel is commonly noted for her proficiency of brewing magical potions, and casting spells to heal her alcoholic step-father. She is compared with the vegetation goddess Persephone.

• Melanie Glaser
  Melanie Glaser is a charismatic sixteen year old girl who resides in New Salem with her family. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, Melanie becomes friends with her. She has a lot of knowledge on crystals, which is vital for the final battle with Black John. She is compared to the wisdom goddess Athena.

• Nick Armstrong
  Nick Armstrong is a dark and mysterious sixteen year old boy who resides in New Salem with his family. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, Nick instantly becomes attracted to her, which sparks a rivalry between him and Adam. Throughout the series, Cassie begins to show affections for Nick, as she finds kindness and love inside of him.He dies.

• Sean Dulany
  Sean Dulany is a sixteen year old boy who resides in New Salem with his family. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, Sean is initially weary of Cassie, and finds her to be an “unnatural witch”. Throughout the series, Sean has a very distant relationship with everyone except Faye, for whom he has an undying respect. It's later revealed that Black John possessed him to commit several murders but the circle was able to heal him from the curse. He later develops a good relationship with Cassie because "she is nice to him".

• Suzan Whittier
  Suzan Whittier is a kind sixteen year old girl who resides in New Salem with her family. After the arrival of Cassie Blake, due to Suzan's friendship with Faye, Suzan is initially cautious of Cassie, however later becomes a good friend of Cassie's. Throughout the series, Suzan also becomes a good friend with Diana, despite Faye’s disapproval. Suzan is shows a good sense of humor and a good appetite for sweets. She is compared with the beauty goddess Aphrodite

• Scarlett Palmer
  Cassie's half sister. She appears on The Divide, by Aubrey Clark. She is daughter of Black john too. She comes to New Salem to kill Cassie to gain a spot on the circle, become it's leader as she was "meant to". She was born in November following the other kid's birthdays. Scarlett is very familiar with dark magic, as both Black John and her mother used it. In consequence of her mother's use of dark magic, she couldn't stay in New Salem, and was later killed by witch hunters. As Cassie, Scarlett is also connected to Adam by a "silver cord", making them possible soul mates, creating tension in Cassie's and Adam's relationship.

L. J. Smith

The Initiation

Cassie Blake is a beautiful and insecure sixteen-year old girl who moves to the picturesque town of New Salem, New England to start a new life. As Cassie begins her junior year in high school, she comes into contact with a group of unlikely friends. The students (who all seem to be excessively popular and privileged) dabble in occult practices, and when they realize that Cassie has the powers of a blood witch, they talk her into joining their coven. After Cassie reluctantly agrees to accompany her friends in their group, they soon realize that with a twelfth witch in the coven they are able to cast spells more powerful than they could before. The novel ends with Cassie discovering that she is a "blood witch"; a person who is naturally born with magical powers. Cassie also discovers that she is a descendant of a very long and powerful line of witches, including her mother Alexandra, and her grandmother Jane.

The Captive

Upon learning that she is a witch, and that her family members are also and decides to confront them. She receives support from her grandmother. Overwhelmed with the ritual to become part of the circle, Adam walks Cassie to her house and comforts her. Adam tells Cassie that he loves her and they kiss. They were being watched by Faye, who later blackmails Cassie to get what she wants: the skull, and the leadership of the coven. Obeying Faye's first orders as the leader, they unleash Black John souls and he resurrects. Later, Adam and Cassie's relationship becomes public, but the circle, and Diana, accept it.

The Power

After Faye becomes the new leader of the Circle, she begins to abuse her new-found authority to dominate over Adam and Cassie. Later, a dangerous and mysterious force known as “The Darkness” begins to terrorize the citizens of New Salem. It is later discovered that “The Darkness” was being controlled by an evil and powerful witch named Black John. Black John was a former member of the Circle many centuries ago, until he began to dabble in black magic, and was killed by the members of his own coven. Yearning to avenge his death, Black John continues to torment the city by unleashing a series of demons upon the town. However, as Cassie and Diana scramble to warn the others that they are in danger, a group of witch hunters attempt to abduct the children and rid the town of them. Later, as Black John continues to wreak havoc among New Salem, Cassie is faced with the decision of which side of the Circle she will stand on. Threatened by the possibility of their demise, together, the members of The Secret Circle unite only to perform a single domain of power, in which they are able to obliterate the forces of evil and to defeat, and kill, the mighty Black John.

Aubrey Clark

L. J. Smith had originally wanted to publish another partly made sequel titled “The Black Skull.” However, due to Smith signing over most control of her novels over to her Publishers and Editors at Alloy Entertainment early in her career, she was prevented from doing so herself. Alloy have instead passed the series over to Aubrey Clark who wrote the first book of the new trilogy as a Ghostwriter in 2012.

The Divide

Keep your enemies close. . . .

For the first time since moving to New Salem, Cassie Blake feels normal. She's dating her soul mate Adam and making new friends in town. But between the secret coven of witches she belongs to and the extraordinary power she holds within her, Cassie is leading a far from ordinary life. When tragedy strikes the Circle, Cassie realizes being extraordinary can be a curse.

The Circle is being hunted by an unknown enemy—and anyone could be the next victim. As they struggle to protect themselves, alliances are formed and relationships are tested. No one knows who to trust or who to fear. Will Cassie be able to save the Circle . . . and herself? Or will her choices break it apart forever?

The Hunt

The Hunt is the fifth book in the The Secret Circle series and the second in the new trilogy.

There's no turning back. . . .

For Cassie and her Circle of witches, it's hard to imagine life in New Salem getting any worse. A band of powerful witch hunters is targeting the group, determined to destroy them one by one. And Cassie's half sister, Scarlett, won't rest until she has a spot in the Circle—even if she has to kill Cassie to get it.

The Circle's only hope against their enemies is Cassie's father's Book of Shadows—an ancient guide to the world of dark magic. But Cassie soon discovers that opening the book has grave consequences. Cassie's drawn in by the book's sinister spell, and it starts controlling her emotions and impulses, unraveling her relationship with Adam as it takes over her life.

Cassie fights against the darkness inside her as the threats against the Circle grow. But once evil is let in, she may never escape. . . .

The Temptation

The Temptation is the sixth book in the The Secret Circle series and the third, and final book, in the new trilogy. It is expected to be released on March 12th 2013

It’s always darkest before dawn.

Cassie hasn’t felt this alone since she moved to New Salem and joined the Circle – the closest thing to a family she’s ever known. But now that the Circle has been possessed by powerful evil spirits, Cassie is left with no choice but to turn to her dark side to rescue them. As she struggles to get through to her friends, and her soul mate, Adam, she finds an unexpected ally—one who will tempt her more than ever before.

With her enemies quickly closing in, Cassie fights to keep her heart true and her soul pure. But she knows better than anyone that all magic comes at a price, especially when Black John’s Book of Shadows is involved. Will Cassie defeat the darkness once and for all…

TV series

Main article: The Secret Circle (TV Series)

In 2010 the series was optioned for TV by The CW. A pilot episode was scripted by Andrew Miller (creator of the Emmy-nominated web series Imaginary Bitches) and Kevin Williamson (Dawson's Creek creator and The Vampire Diaries co-creator/executive producer), and directed by Liz Friedlander. The pilot was picked up to series and debuted on the CW on September 15, 2011. However, on May 11, 2012 it was announced that The Secret Circle would not be returning for a second season.